Democrats are not caring for their Stars and Stripes. At least that’s the message out of John McCain’s campaign.

McCain supporters, claiming they rescued 12,000 miniature American flags from the site of Barack Obama’s nomination acceptance speech last Thursday, redistributed the orphan flags to audience members ahead of a McCain rally in Colorado Springs on Saturday.

The move was an overt swipe at Obama from a campaign whose motto has been “country first.” But Democratic convention organizers claimed the flags were not going to be discarded — but instead were snatched from the site of Obama’s historic address to carry out a “cheap political stunt.”

McCain supporters said the flags were discovered by a vendor at Denver’s Invesco Field after the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention. The vendor supposedly found trash bags full of flags in and near garbage bins, and turned them over to the McCain campaign.

Boy Scouts were sorting through 84 bags of flags in Colorado on Saturday, before a McCain supporter had veterans distribute them to the audience.

“We want to find good homes for these flags,” radio host Dan Caplis said at the rally, adding that whatever flags remained would be placed at memorials throughout Colorado.

Audience members, who booed when Caplis announced that the flags were left in Denver, waved the flags and chanted “U.S.A” before McCain arrived at the rally with his running mate, Sarah Palin.

Damon Jones, spokesman for the Democratic National Convention Committee, released a statement saying McCain should applaud the fact that thousands of American flags were “proudly waved” at their convention.

“But instead his supporters wrongfully took leftover bundles of our flags from the stadium to play out a cheap political stunt calling into question our patriotism,” he said.

Obama has faced attacks on his patriotism since the beginning of the Democratic primary race and has set up a Web site specifically designed to fight such charges.

The McCain campaign has denied questioning Obama’s patriotism, and even released a statement Friday calling Obama’s most recent comments on the matter “hysterical.”

Obama said Friday that Republicans are trying to make the election a personality contest, and that “what they’re really saying is ‘we’re going to try to scare people about Barack. So we’re going to say that you know, ‘Maybe he’s got Muslim connections or we’re going to say that, you know, he hangs out with radicals or he’s not patriotic.’”

U.S. Code says the proper method for disposing of an American flag is actually burning, provided it is “no longer a fitting emblem for display.”

The United States Flag Store, which sells full-sized and miniature flags, says on its Web site that flags can also be put in the trash, when they are “worn, damaged or tattered beyond repair.”

UPDATE: DNC spokeswoman Karen Finney issues a statement: "American flags were proudly waved by the 75,000 people who joined Barack Obama at the Democratic Convention. John McCain should applaud that, but instead his supporters wrongfully took leftover bundles of our flags from the stadium to play a cheap political stunt calling into question our patriotism. On the same day he agrees to join Barack Obama at Ground Zero on September 11, John McCain attacks the patriotism of Obama supporters who so proudly waved the American flag at our historic event in Denver just days ago."

UPDATE II: Another statement from the Democratic National Convention Committee: "Stories circulating about flags at the Democratic National Convention are false. We distributed more than 125,000 American made flags at the Convention - the flags removed from Invesco field were intended for other events and taken without permission. It's disappointing that someone would take American flags without authorization and then falsely describe how they were being used. We have the utmost respect for the American flag, and it's sad to see them being used for a cheap political stunt."

How much money was spent to save these flags? Is this the sort of profligate spending that we can expect when he's president? If given the choice between saving flags and saving people, will he save the people?

This morning, Republicans tell me that a worker at Invesco Field in Denver saved thousands of unused flags from the Democratic National Convention that were headed for the garbage. Guerrilla campaigning. They will use these flags at their own event today in Colorado Springs with John McCain and Sarah Palin.

Before McCain speaks today, veterans will haul these garbage bags filled with flags out onto the stage — with dramatic effect, no doubt — and tell the story.

“What you see in the picture I sent you is less than half of total flags,” a Republican official emailed. “We estimate the total number to be around 12,000 small flags and one full size 3×5 flag.”

I’m not sure what the DNC was supposed to do with unused hand-flags, frankly. But the Republicans are obviously questioning someone’s patriotism here.

"democrats keep fucking up. and will loose it. You cant try to win people with facts, especially when some of those facts make you look at your own lifestyle. That say that something america did was wrong...

Republicans will win because they win people over with feelings. Feelings of patriatism, feelings of belonging to something larger than life. Feelings that the other side (democrats) are unpatriotic and want america to loose.

Look at guillani. I cant quote it, but he said something of the lines of this... When georgia and russia went at it, obama said it was both thier faults. (this is true) But McCain told russia to stand down. (I dont ever remember hearing Mccain say anything btw)

He made obama look like he was afraid when in reality he made a very correct assessment. He made obama look unpatriotic.

The peoples feelings were played on.

Thats why I think McCain will win. And Palin was perfect fit for that, she makes you feel good and important. Here is this small town girl who fights the big bad men in the whitehouse and has the guts to stick up for whats right. Someone who is a tough as nails pitbul with lipstick soccer mom that the middle class can "relate" too.

It doesnt matter that half the shit she said was untrue.. that she actually promoted spending and created her own "good ole boy network" because the average american doesnt want to hear that, and media wont show it either."

from my last post.

I watched the republican convention. I didnt hear a single thing about how they were going to bring about thier version of hope and change. I did hear a lot of the same tired bullshit... btw I dont think obama hates america, I dont think that democrats hate america.

I think intolerant half lying bullshit from both sides though is proof that certain people hate america from both sides.

"So like I said, you honestly believe that Obama knew that they were throwing the flags away, and plans on giving the guy a better job if he's elected?"

No I dont think he knew, and I am sure who ever did it is saying "I wasnt thinking"

I am sure Obama is patriotic, and I may not agree with all of his opinions, I am sure he will do good in his career.

But they do get better jobs, its one of the rewards. i am sure some far right fanatics are working right now in jobs they are not qualified for (ill throw it out for the liberals "yea, his name is George")

"I know you can be pretty partisan at times, but thats reaching to the realm of nut job conspiracy theory rhetoric."

I re read my post, I didnt mean that worker will get a better paying job for leaving the flags. I meant that some worker who was dumb enough to do this will get a nice well paying job. For being a worker for the Obama campaign, not for ths event.

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